The Missing Factor
by Za4321
Summary: With twenty minutes until showtime, Simon Cowell disappears off the X Factor set. It's up to Demi, Kelly and Paulina to save him from one crazy contestant.
1. An Elusive Figure

**AN: This is a random one shot I got the idea for last night while I was watching X Factor. I wondered what would happen if one of the judges went missing. This is what I think would happen. Please read and review! Thanks guys. **

_Twenty minutes until showtime_

It was just like any other morning on set of the "X Factor," Demi, Kelly, Simon and Paulina were in their dressing rooms, getting ready for the show. Thirty anxious contestants waited backstage, trembling with nerves. One such contestant was fifty one year old Janine Parks. Janine had been singing since she was twenty three. More importantly, Janine wanted to meet Simon Cowell. She was obsessed with him. She watched four seasons of Brittain's got talent and watched all of his performances on American Idol.

"Simon, you are so superficial!" As per usual, the annoying bickering of Demi and Simon could be heard throughout the set.

"All I heard was Simon, you are so super!" Simon had a clever comeback, as usual. Demi and Simon parted ways for makeup and hair. The show was starting in ten minutes.

That was the last time anyone saw Simon.

_Fifteen minutes until showtime_

"Kelly, call Simon will you? He needs his hair done before we go on" The hairdresser called

"Hey, Dem, have you seen Simon? He's not in his dressing room?" Kelly called

"No, haven't seen him" Demi frowned, worried "Paulina, have you seen Simon?"

_Fourteen minutes until showtime_

"No I haven't" Paulina answered, "Maybe you should try calling him on his cell?"

Demi picked up her phone and scrolled down her contacts list to Simon's number. She put the phone on speaker and all three female judges crowded around to hear. The phone rang three times, but it picked up on the fourth. There was a lot of scuffling going on in the background and Simon's voice could be heard saying

"Hey! Where are you taking me? I have a show in a few minutes! Ow...not the hair!"

The three judges looked at each other, shocked. What was happening to Simon?

"Simon? SIMON! Are you there?" Kelly shouted into the phone, to which a feminine voice could be heard saying

"Who is that? Simon do you have your phone! AARGH!" The sound of slapping and kicking could be heard and Simon grunting in pain was also heard.

_Twelve Minutes until showtime_

"Guys, what are we gonna do! We have twelve minutes to find Simon! He could be anywhere and by the likes of it, he's getting hurt!"

"If you were obsessed with Simon and you were a kidnapper where would you take him?" Demi mused.

"Well" Paulina replied thoughtfully, "I would take him to the contestant's dressing rooms"

"Paulina, you're brilliant!" The three women rushed to the contestant holding area and back into the private rooms designated for contestant use. They heard no noises, but the occasional breath or sigh coming from a few rooms.

"Demi!" Kelly whispered "Can't you track the kidnapper's phone? You have their number"

_Ten minutes until showtime_

The tracking app showed the kidnapper was currently crossing the street outside of the X Factor set. Five minutes later, Kelly, Demi and Paulina were outside the building and looked around.

"There!" Kelly pointed at a figure in black driving a black chevy. In the back there was a dark figure that looked like it had a gag and ropes on. The three tailed the car all the way to 44th street and followed the figure inside a building. The figure took Simon inside a room and locked the door. The three women pressed their ears against the door to hear what the kidnapper was saying.

_Nine minutes until showtime_

Demi's phone began to vibrate and she stepped away to answer it.

"Demi, where are you guys! You have a full audience of teenage girls who expect to see you all onstage in nine minutes!"

"Mark" Demi said, speaking to the producer "Simon's been kidnapped. We followed whoever it is all the way past 44th street and we are outside the room where he is being held"

"Oh my god" Mark gasped "We've already got police cars on the way. You three try to get him out but stay safe"

"Got it"

Demi and Kelly pressed their ears to the door, while Paulina stood guard, watching. The police cars waited outside. Demi heard the female saying

"Finally, Simon, I get to meet you. Now, it's a shame it had to be this way!"

Eight minutes until showtime

"Hey...um...I've got a show to get to and a favorite singer to insult, so if you'd just…"

Paulina and Kelly sniggered into their sleeves, while Demi stood there shocked.

"I'm his…favorite? Simon's FAVORITE SINGER! What? Is this a dream...how bout I pinch myself...OWWWW... Not a dream. Dang. Oh wait...Simon's being kidnapped. Think, Demi, think. What can you do?" She thought

_Seven minutes until showtime_

"Alright, Simon boo, you've got two choices, first, take off your shirt or second, I'll take it off for you. And I've got a camera. I might just leak this to the press if you don't cooperate. And I majored in media and video editing, so I can make you look really bad" The voice said from inside the room

"Oh no, not today she doesn't!" Demi says, loudly.

"Shhhhhhhh!" The other two warn

"I don't care! Mark and the others aren't here, so it's up to us!" She said, louder

"Who's outside?" the voice opened up the door and immediately was grabbed by Kelly, tied up by Paulina (with a hair ribbon), and Demi raced in to untie Simon.

"You...you little...fat..person..." The girl on the floor said to Demi

"I'd stop talking now if I were you!" Demi said, looking down, "Because I REALLY DONT CARE"

Thinking to herself, she thought that would be a really cool sing title. Then, mentally slapping herself, she remembered that they had 6 minutes to get to the show.

_Six minutes until showtime_

Dang it.


	2. The Almost Escape

There's a crazy woman on the floor. Simon's hurt. The team mark sent isn't here yet and I have absolutely no idea where we are!" Demi thought to herself.

Whipping out her phone, Kelly dialed Mark's number.

"Hey, Mark, we really need help here, there's a crazy lady here, Simon is hurt and the show starts in six minutes. Where are you guys?"

"Okay, Kel, I'm gonna need you to do some things while we're coming. First, have someone tie up or immobilize the woman. Next, have someone keep Simon calm and asses his injuries. Should we call for an ambulance?

Kelly looked over to where Paulina was tying up the crazy lady and over to where Demi was keeping Simon calm.

"Mark, I'm not sure, lemme give Demi the phone"

Demi walked over to where Kelly was and spoke into the phone.

"Mark?"

"Yep"

"Simon's not bad- just a few rope burns and bruises but he's already walking and standing again. We're good here. Should we try to come downstairs? I don't know where this place is or if any other threats are here"

"Alright, um, okay, Demi, keep everyone inside the building. If there is a window low enough for you to get out safely, then go. SAFELY, Demi!"

"Got it"

"Bye"

"Bye"

Demi looked around, then realized that the room Simon was held in might have a window or escape.

"Simon?"

"Yah?"

"The room you were in...was there a window?"

"Yeah, why? "

"Did you see anyone else in the room, cameras or anything that could be filming"

"Nah, I think this place is deserted, Demi, I mean, someone should of heard us by now"

"Shh...Simon you're gonna jinx it..." Demi found Paulina's hand clamped around her mouth.

"Shh...I hear someone"

Voices down the hallway could be heard, and they were getting louder!

"Quick, go, out the window!" Everyone jumped out, and finally it was just Demi and Simon, who were holding the kidnapper.

"Together?"

"Together"_  
_

_Five minutes until showtime _

After plummeting from the second story window, the three women escaped with only minor cuts and bruises from hitting the ground. But Simon landed awkwardly on his feet, and was struggling to get up.

Paulina and Kelly helped Simon walk, while Demi called mark.

"Mark? Yeah, we're on the corner of 44th and Palm! Okay, sure. Okay, bye"

Turning to the others she said "he's just around the corner"

The four of them then turned to see a car zooming towards them with Mark driving.

"phew. We're saved" Demi thought

_Four minutes until showtime_

The four walked over to the car and almost got in. Thankfully, Kelly turned to talk to Mark, when she gasped.

"What's wrong, Kelly?"

"This isn't Mark's car!"

"GET AWAY FROM THE CAR!" Screeched Paulina, "STEP BACK"

The mysterious car sped away, running over Simon's foot, causing him to screech in pain. Another car pulled up and the four recognized it as the company car that Mark often drove to and from work. It pulled up directly in front of them and Kelly confirmed it was the right car.

_Three minutes until showtime_

"Mark!" gasped Kelly "Mark, what are we going to do! Someone's got it out for simon"

Mark passed back an iPad, which was playing security footage of the hallway where Demi had tied up the kidnapper. Three men, which the foursome recognized as bodyguards were taking in the suspect and putting her in a patrol car, before calling for backup to search the building.

"I thiink" Paulina started "I thiiiink it is just a crazy fan!"

"We've gotta get you four back in time" Mark said "The show starts in three minutes and we have a crowd of five hundred screaming teenage girls waiting for you out there. Trust me, the last thing you want to do is disappoint them. Demi, Paulina and Kelly, fix your makeup, hair and makeup sent a kit along here. You've been running and I don't think you want to be sweaty on TV"

The girls fixed their makeup, while Simon added even more hair gel to his already oily mass.

They pulled up to the studio on one wheel as they could hear the announcement

_Two minutes until showtime_

Everyone rushed to their dressing rooms to change and look presentable. The onstage host comes backstage yelling to anyone who will listen

"You've gotta get on that stage, the audience are restless"

_One minute until showtime_

With only one minute left until the show is about to start, the four judges line up backstage, ready for their introduction.

_"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WELCOME TO THE X-FACTOR!"_

After several agonizing minutes, the cheer subsides

"_Now, as you may know, Simon disappeared from his dressing room earlier and was taken to a mysterious building on the East side of town by an elusive figure, most likely a crazed fan or unhappy contestant from previous shows" _A collective gasp resounded, as well as a few laughs.

"_Thankfully, Kelly, Paulina and Demi were able to apprehend his suspect and safely escape with Simon from a first story window, where they were almost kidnapped again, this time by a figure pretending to be our producer, Mark" _A picture of Mark was shown on the big screen "_Thankfully, the real Mark and his team soon showed up to rescue our stricken judges only three minutes until showtime" _The crowd clapped and cheered, more of them laughing this time. Clearly many didn't believe this story. _  
_

"It's true" Simon said, coming on stage, to a cheer

"Yeeeeeppp" Paulina said, with her accent, to another cheer

"It was horrible" Kelly said, walking across the stage to the judges table

"Look at Simon's rope burns!" Demi winked at the audience and laughed, causing all five thousand screaming teenage girls to go berserk.

As the four sat there waiting for the first round of contestants they smiled at each other.

Even if the world didn't believe it...they'd saved Simon Cowell.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks so much, you guys. I'm only starting out on Fanfiction and I know it isn't as popular as it used to be during the 2009-2012 time but I really love the X-Factor. I'm so sad that Demi isn't on it anymore. :( Simon is a meanie. Except when he's being kidnapped by an elusive figure or a crazed fan. But, then again, that would only happen in this story :) :) **

**Read and Review :) Thanks so much you guys **

**-Za4321**


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